Curious grudge

[TFanVI]

Hello all! My husband and I have two boars who are approximately a year and a half to 2 years old.. they initially seemed bonded well.. we had to put them in a smaller enclosure than we wanted (probably too small) about 6 months after we got them because of some temporary changes in sleeping arrangements with my kids.. they adapted fine.. but as soon as we had the opportunity to move them back into the larger one, we did (we eventually want to make a more elaborate c&c set up, but that seems unlikely now)..

The move seemed fine at first, and you'd think a bigger space would be better, but no.. they started squabbling a bit.. just minor, you could hear that they were agitated, but they weren't exactly "fighting" we tried putting a second hideaway in there (we did make the mistake of not ensuring it had multiple entrances) and their squabbles got a bit more noticeable.. until one day, i had them both on the bed as usual, they were running around under the blanket, and a ball of fighting broke out..

we split them up for the night.. tried to take them out the next day, and a full on fight immediately erupted with injury (to both a guinea and my husband who didn't feel like he had time to think before reacting and stuck his hand in the middle .) We had never seen them get so upset at one another so that level of aggression was unexpected. One of the guinea pigs ended up with a bite just behind an eye that left an open flap for a time..

we have been keeping them in separate enclosures right next to one another for a couple of months now because we aren't 100% sure how/if we can remedy the situation. My husband wants to wait until we've built the larger enclosure, reintroduce and then move them into a fresh environment.. but that could be a long time.. we wanted to finish remodeling downstairs and place it there when we moved down there.. but currently the dog stays there when we are sleeping or not home.. I'm not sure we have room to build what we wanted in this room..

as it is.. if we get them out we cannot put them down in the open at the same time.. and even if we are holding one while the other is roaming they will try to climb into our laps chittering to get to the other one.. my husband was even nipped once by the guinea pig that was injured and we think it's because he smelled too strongly like the other guinea pig... They both will chatter at us if we get them out immediately after the other.. but the one who was injured is more dramatic about it.. I'm really concerned they are going to have to be permanently separated.. they were so adorable together before and this just feels so sad.. how can I help them?

 

[Siikibam]

Hi and welcome. Unfortunately as they had a fight that draws blood, you cannot put them together anymore. They will have to live separately from now on, but can live as neighbours which seems to be working fine for them. I strongly recommend you do not try to re-bond them.

Moving boars can cause issues, especially when they are in their teens (4-14 months), which seems to have been a real possibility. As they’re living as bachelors, they will need a cage of (minimum) 120x60cm each.

I’m sorry things didn’t work out for them. They’re very gorgeous by the way.

 

[Piggies&buns]

Sadly a full on fight is bond breaking and only occurs when two piggies do not like each other. A reintroduction will not be possible, not even with a larger enclosure, as they have now made up their minds about each other. They will need to live separately permamently.

Changing environment ie a new cage can cause issues between boars. In well bonded pairs, a change of environment, new cage, etc will result in a few days additional dominance while they reestablish territories but in some pairs, particularly where there already underlying issue (which may or may or be obvious to the owner), any change in cage can cause rifts to come to the surface which ultimately break a bond. This is why territory changes need to be kept to a minimum with boars.

Boars: Teenage, Bullying, Fighting, Fall-outs And What Next?

 

[TFanVI]

How sad .. i really felt they needed the bigger space.. but now I wish I had just waited until they were older... They often had plenty of run time outside the enclosure, so it probably could have waited.. so is it better for them to just live alone indefinitely or could we try introducing new pigs for them? I hate the idea of them being alone.. that was the whole reason we got two.. and we tried so hard to match their personalities well.. evidently we got it all wrong

 

[Bill & Ted]

So sorry you’ve got warring boars, their little faces, they are adorable. I would definitely not try to bond them again, thry do bare a grudge, once blood has been drawn there’s no going back. they will live quite happily as neighbours though x

 

[Piggies&buns]

How sad .. i really felt they needed the bigger space.. but now I wish I had just waited until they were older... They often had plenty of run time outside the enclosure, so it probably could have waited.. so is it better for them to just live alone indefinitely or could we try introducing new pigs for them? I hate the idea of them being alone.. that was the whole reason we got two.. and we tried so hard to match their personalities well.. evidently we got it all wrong

If the issue was caused by an underlying rift, then waiting until they were older wouldn’t have made any difference. They would either have come to blows anyway or the move at a later date would have brought the problem to the surface.

As separated piggies, living side by side each other can provide enough interaction through the bars to prevent loneliness. This is sufficient if you do not want more piggies.
However, having a live in cage mate is preferable where possible. If you do decide to get them a new friend each, then you have two options:

approach a rescue centre so they can help you find a suitable, character compatible companion for each of them.
If you do this, then each pair will need a cage measuring a recommended 180x60cm (or a 5x2 c&c cage). If space is an issue then c&c cages can be stacked one one top of the other, thereby saving floor space. Stacking cages is only an option where there are a pair in each cage. You cannot stack cages for single piggies as they lose the ability to interact through the bars.

neuter them both, wait six weeks for them to become infertile and then bond each of them with a sow. While neutered boar/sow bonds are most stable for the long term, the bond does still come down to compatibility (the sow needs to accept the boar), so again finding a sow friend with the help of a rescue centre is best.
A neutered boar/sow pair need a cage of 150x60cm (or a 4x2 c&c). Again, stacking cages as a space saving option

 

[weepweeps]

It’s so sad when they decide they don’t want to live with each other any more . They can still live full lives as neighbours.